Reducing metering errors and maintenance costs significantly

7 Coriolis metering & filling stations for Arkema on the Lacq site replaced old volume flowmeters

One thousand people work on this chemical site in France. The site resembles a huge anthill where everyone goes about their business in line with safety regulations. When you enter the site, you notice the importance of safety everywhere. The chemical products manufactured here are flammable & toxic. Of course, everyone must wear a gas mask, safety shoes, helmets, leather gloves, goggles and suits too. However, the sunshine and the beauty of the environment make up for these working conditions.

The results

Immediate return on investment

Excellent precision and repeatability of measurement

Reduced maintenance efforts

An easy-to-use solution

Equipment that withstands the aggressive environment

We have been impressed by the outstanding repeatability of this equipment. The measuring and metering equipment is also extremely reliable so we are completely satisfied

Mr. Jean-Luc Richard, Maintenance Supervisor
Arkema

We are using this new mass flowmeter which is really useful because it is quicker than the previous equipment.

Mr. Marc Puertas, Logistics Operator
Arkema

We did notice that the meters that we had previously were systematically generating a large discrepancy compared with the weight that we had to load. The readings were off by between 150 and 200 kg.

Mr. M. Vidales, Logistics Supervisor
Arkema

When the readings on the meter and the scales don't match.

The quantity of fluid to be delivered was also measured. The 7 filling stations used to be equipped with volume flowmeters. Logistics Supervisor, Mr. Vidales, noticed that the measurements given by the volume flowmeters no longer matched the values from the weighbridge. To avoid any delivery complaints, an extra 200 kg was systematically added to each load. At the same time, Mr. Richard, then Head of Maintenance, found his budget burdened by the repeated maintenance this equipment required

Arkema is one of the site operators. The plant produces and supplies sulfur derivatives, such as chemical intermediates and aroma compounds that are injected into the natural gas network enabling detection of leaks. A steady stream of trucks and tank cars at the logistics center deliver some 80 tonnes per day to customers. Operators park, connect the hose and ground cable, preset the order quantity, and begin filling. Before leaving, the vehicles are weighed in order to create an invoice.

A metering solution based on mass flowmeter precision

After analyzing Arkema's requirements, Endress+Hauser proposed a filling solution comprised of one Contrec preset meter and one Coriolis mass flowmeter for each filling station. The preset is intuitive and easy to use. It is dirt-resistant and can be used while wearing gloves.

It was time to replace the unreliable and hard-to-maintain equipment. The specifications, defined by Mr. Richard and Mr. Vidales, stated that it must be able to withstand aggressive external environments. The equipment comprised a preset and flowmeter. The measuring device had to be accurate, reliable and reproducible. The equipment also had to be practical for everyday use, taking into account operators' working conditions, such as the need to wear leather gloves and the industrial environment.

The Coriolis mass flowmeter chosen was the Promass 80E. Its Coriolis principle is highly accurate and measures the mass directly, eliminating any metering errors owing to density variations. The mass flowmeters feature no moving parts, which minimizes maintenance. The design of the Promass 80E is also robust and extremely compact. This greatly simplified the installation phase as the new volume flowmeters could be fitted in place of the old.

An almost immediate ROI and complete satisfaction

Mr. Richard quickly calculated the ROI including the cost of the additional equipment supplied and the maintenance costs for the volume flowmeters. The solution proposed by Endress+Hauser was accepted and installed. After more than a year in use, the results are positive. Mr. Richard is very satisfied: "The project went really well. The operators have taken well to using the new meters. The flowmeters are accurate and measurement errors have dropped from 200 kg to 10 kg. We are delighted."